Detonator



Jan. 11, 1938. H, JUNGHANS 2,105,423

DETONATOR Filed DSC. 4, @i936 PatentedJan. 1'1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 4, 1936, Serial No. 114,251 In Germany January 18, 1935 8 Claims.

10 released. by the reaction immediately the pro-.

jcctile is fired, so that they commence to move .outwards as soon as the `centrifugal force starts to take effect.

According to the invention, the actuation of the Jaws, which in turn release the firing pin, is deferred by the fact that a; retarding means is ineluded between the element releasingv the jaws (for example a reaction themselves.

.a0 The retarding device comprises a portion jwhich) is operated by centrifugal force and a second portion which is connected with the first portion and projects into the path-of the centrifugal jaws, this second portion blocking the centrifugal 2.5 jaws over a certain part of the movement of the operating portion and thereupon releasing the same. The blocking portion is connected with the centrifugal vportion by means of ..teeth. If the centrifugal jaws, in the manner known per se, are so arranged that the one jaw can only swing out when the preceding jaw lhas reached its extreme swung-out position, merely the first centrifugaljaw is caused to be acted upon by thel retarding device.

In accordance with the invention there are also provided means .for Aslowing down the operation of the retarding device, together with a suitable safety means for transport.

The invention is illustrated in a possible yform of embodiment in the accompanying drawing.

, Fig. l1 shows a detonator in longitudinal section with the parts in the locked position.

Fig. 2 is a view of the detonator parts, withI the cap removed in the direction Ain Fig. -1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the detonator parts, with the cap removed, in the position according to F18. 1. Fig, i is a plan view of the vretardingdevice,

partly in section, in thelposition vaccording tof member)y and the jaws (Cl. lim-39) similar to Fig. 4. 'I'he retarding device is in the position in'which the first centrifugal jaw is released.

Fig. 8 shows the centrifugal jaws in out position.

In the axis of the detonator casing a, b there is located the ring pin c furnished with a colla;` d, below which there engage the front ends of the centrifugal jaws el, e2,'e3, el when these are in their normal position. The centrifugal jaws are mounted to swing about pins f. A centrifugal member or operating segment g is arranged eccentrically andcarries a toothed segment h which engages with a corresponding pinion i. With the pinion i there is firmly connected .a locking element in the form of a bell oran annular casing Ic, which is engaged by abutments or pins l on the centrifugal jaws e, so that the centrifugal jaws are held together towards thel center and are unable to swing out. In/the'pe- 20 .riphery of the annular casing lc there are provided evenly spaced slots m, in such fashion that v after a certain rotary movement on the part of the ring the pins on the jaws are situated in front of the slots'and are able to enter the same. whereby\the centrifugal jaws swing outwards.

If the centrifugal jaws, as shown in the drawing, are arranged in such fashion that one centrifugal jaw'swinging out as first jaw alone does not release the adjacent jaw until it has reached its" extreme position, and this second jaw in turn releases the next jaw, and so forth, it is merely necessary for the purpose of securing the centrifugal jaws to furnish only one of these, viz., the first jaw, with an abutment which engages below the retarding ring, as in this way all other jaws are also secured. Corresponding with the one pin there is then provided merely one slot vfor the passage of the same in. the periphery of the ring.

For securing the operating segment g during the transport of the detonator there is provided on the segment a projection gl bearing against A a spring n which projects into the path of movement of the segment and the free end of which 45 carries aweight nl. The projection and the end of the, spring bear against each other with bevelled faces. Below the free end of the spring there is provided a recess into which the spring is able to enter.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention there is also provided, for the purpose of delaying the release of the flring pin to an even greater extent than provided for by mere rotation of the safety ring and the arthe swungrangement of the centrifugal jaws, a locking or braking element o, which is pressed by the centrifugal Iforce against the locking ring 7c. 'I'his braking element is constructed in the form of a two-armed lever, the shorter arm of which is furnished with a projection adapted to engage with correspondingly formed teeth Ici provided on the periphery of the retarding ring lc, whilst the other arm possesses acomparatively greater length and thickness for the purpose"of being able to act as centrifugal member. In certain circumstances the projection on the shorter arm may be made resilient. Naturally the braking element o will have a considerably smaller mass than the operating segment g functioning on the same casing, so that the rotation of the casing will not be braked to a standstill.

The operation of the detonator is as follows:-

Upon the ring of the projectile the safety spring@ will be forced under the action of the inertia vout of the path or the operating segment y, and following thereon will be held in the depressed position by the projectiongl of the operating segment, which commences to move upon the initiation of the centrifugal force. In this .way the operating segment isfree to move. Durin g the swinging out of this segment there is rotated at the same time owing to the engagement of the teeth the pinion i, which in turn causes rotation of the annular element lc connected therewith, which element `forms the safety means for the centrifugal jaws e. This ring is rotated until its incision reaches the safety pin Z of the centrifugal jaw el. The same, under the action of the centrifugal force, now passes with its jaws through the slot towards the outside. It is not until the centrifugal jaw el has reached its outer position that the jaw e2 and then e3 and nally e4 are able to follow, the ring pin c then being free for percussive firing. During the rotation of the safety ring lc the braking element c engages with its projection in the corresponding teeth of the ring and thus additionally retards its operation.

Having inowparticularly described and ascertained the nature of my sai'dj invention, and in whatmanner the same v'is to be performed, I declare" that what I claim is:

l. In a* detonator for a projectile, a firing pin, centrifugal jaws for securing the firing pin and adapted to swing out successively for the purpose of releasing the pin, an abutmentron the rst of the said jaws, and a rotatable locking portion disposed centrally in the detonator and furnished with a slot through which the said abutment is adapted to pass for the purpose of release.

2. In a detonator for a projectile, a firing pin, centrifugal jaws for securing the Vfiring pin, an annular rotatable casing mounted centrally in the detonator on the said pin, a centrifugal member for communicating motion to the retarding means, teeth on the said casing, and a toothed segment on the said centrifugal member engaging with the teeth of the said casing.

3. In a detonator for a projectile, a firing pin, centrifugal jaws for securing the rlng pin, a rotatable locking portion for the .said jaws disposed centrally in the detonator, teeth on the said locking portion, and a two-armed lever having a projection on the shorter arm, the heavier arm of the said lever pressing the said projection under the action of centrifugal force into the said teeth.

4. In a detonator for a projectile, a firing pin, centrifugal jaws for securing the ring pin, a rotatable locking portion for the said jaws disposed centrally in the detonator, a centrifugal member for retaining the said locking portion in the locked position in the condition of rest, a spring projecting into path of movement of the said centrifugal member, and a weight on the free end of the said spring, the said spring being adapted to be swung out of the path of movement of the centrifugal member by the force of -reaction occuring upon the firing of the missile for the purpose of 'releasing the parts.y

5. A- detonator for projectiles, comprising a ring pin with means for operating it by impact on the target, centrifugal jaws capable of holding the firing pin in safety condition, a locking element rotatable in the detonator, said element normally `retaining the jaws in such holding position, and means actuated on ring the projectile to cause said element to rotate, said element having means for releasing the jaws after it has made a certain rotation during which the projectile has travelled a determined distance from the muzzle of the gun from which it was fired, the firing pin thereuponbeing freed for operation by its impact means.

6. A detonator according to claim 5, in which the means actuated on ring the projectile includes a centrifugally movable segment geared to the rotatable element.

7. A detonator for a projectile, comprising a firing pin operable by impact on the target, centrifugal jaws securing the firing pin against impact operation when the jaws vare closed and releasing it for such operation when the jaws are open, Wheel gearing acting to retard the opening of the jaws during a determined initial portion of the flight of the projectile, and a centrifugally actuated'brake operative on the wheel gearing to assist its retarding action.

8. A detonator for a projectile, comprising a firing pin operable by impact on the target, centrifugal jaws securing the firing pin against impact operation when the jaws are closed and releasing it for such operation whenthe jaws are open, wheel gearing acting to retard the opening of the jaws during a determined initial portion HELMUT JUNGHANS. 

